Berry harvester



y 1968 D. E. CHRISTIE ETAL 3,385,042

BERRY HARVESTER Original Filed 001,. 28, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 1cauoouaooooc INVENTOR. DAVID .E. CHRISTIE KARL wmaulsr D. E. CHRISTIETA; 3,385,042

BERRY HARVESTER May 28, 1968 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed 0cm.

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May 28, 1968 BERRY HARVESTER 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Oct. 281963 m QQ nd INVENTOR. DAVID E.

CHRISTIE KARI. E. W/NQlI/ST y 1968 D. E. CHRISTIE ETAL 3,385,042

BERRY HARVESTER Original Filed Oct. 28, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 liqu- I NVEN TOR. DA l/ID E. CHRISTIE KARI. E. WIHQUIST y 1968 D. E. CHRISTIEETAL 3,385,042

BERRY HARVES TER 9 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed 061.

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DAVID E- CHRISTIE KARL E. W/IYRUIST y 1968 D. E. CHRISTIE ETAL 3,385,042

BERRY HARVESTER Original Filed Oct. 28, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 I NVENTOR.DAVID E. ('HRI3TIE KARL E WINGUIST D. s CHRISTIE ETAL BERRY HARVESTERlglnal iled Oct 28 y 1968 D. E. CHRISTIE ETAL 3,385,042

BERRY HARVESTER Original Filed Oct. 28, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 IINVENTOR. 1 DAVID E. CHRISTIE KARL E. WINQUIST l y 23, 1968 D. E.CHRISTIE ETAL 3,385,042

' BERRY HARVESTER Original Filed Oct. 28, 1963 9 Sheets- Sheet'9 PEEDCMYTROL SHAKER SPEED mama; VALVE INVENTOR. Jul/ID E. CHR|81IE MRI. E.WINRUIST United States Patent 3,385,042 BERRY HARVESTER David E.Christie and Karl E. Winquist, Portland, 0rcg.,

assignors to Oeco Corporation, Portland, Oreg., a corporation of OregonOriginal application Oct. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 319,249, now Patent No.3,325,984, dated June 20, 1967. Divided and this application Mar. 20,1967, Ser. No. 654,667

Claims. (Cl. 56-330) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a berry harvestingmachine comprising a groundtraversing carriage and means mounted uponthe carriage to dislodge the berries from the plants as the carriagemoves along the length of a row of plants, the invention comprises anovel means to catch the falling berries and direct them to one or morepoints of disposal. Such means comprises opposing series of generallyfiat successively overlapping discs individually mounted onreciprocative supports and urged by force-applying means into cont-actwith the sides of the row of plants so as to form aprons conforming tocontour of the berry plants and any posts being traversed by theharvester. The discs are in rolling contact with the plants so as toavoid any abrasive damage to the stalks.

This application is a division of Serial No. 319,249 filed October 28,1963 and now Patent 3,325,984.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for harvestingberries from plants generally of the type which grow upright or aretrained to present their fruit at an elevation above ground level,examples being raspberries, loganberries, blackberries, etc. Theinvention is best suited for harvesting from plants grown in uniformrows so as to achieve maximum efiiciency in the harvesting operation andthe machine is herein illnstratively described by reference to thepresently preferred embodiment thereof; however it will be recognizedthat certain modifications and changes therein with respect to detailsmay be made without departing from the underlying essentials thereof.

The high cost and drudgery of labor, and the difiiculty of findingsuitable labor at the critical times when harvesting is imperative andurgent, is now and has been one of the most difiicult burdens for thegrower. In fact, it is often impossible to marshal a sufiiciently largecrew to keep the ripening berries picked on a continuing basis duringthe season, and there is much loss and crop depreciation as a resultthereof. The general purpose of this invention is to provide apracticable and eflicient machine which will overcome these problems andwhile not altogether eliminating the need for labor, greatly reduces thetotal man hours required to harvest a crop and makes the harvesting workrelatively pleasant and sufficiently productive economically as topermit a wage which will attract the most desirable workers. At the sametime the invention aims to improve the quality of the harvest byenabling gathering of the ripening berries selectively in suchcontrolled manner and at such frequent intervals as to assure asubstantially optimum degree of ripeness and sugar content therein atthe sime of the harvest.

A further object is to devise a machine which will harvest berrieswithout damaging the plants or berries and without appreciable loss ofberries.

Still another object is to devise a versatile harvesting machine capableof adjustment in its operating or functional characteristics so as tosuit the requirements of selective removal of all berries of certainripeness. It is found that the operating characteristics necessary foroptimum results with one type of berry will differ from those bestsuited for another type. Moreover, the operating mode best suited toharvest from plants of the same type, even in the same field, may varyduring dilferent parts of the day or under'diiferent weather conditions.Different characteristics of the plant growth also can have a markedeffect such as bushiness, stiifness of the vines or branches, theirgrowth patterns, the density and distribution of foliation, height aboveground, etc. Accordingly, it is an object hereof to provide a versatileharvesting machine having berry-dislodging means which are adjustableand the operating motion factors of which are adjustable so as to suitthe variable conditions encountered in harvesting. A specific object isto device a machine in which such adjustments may be made relativelyquickly and easily in the field.

An important object is to provide a mechanical harvester which operatesrapidly and economically and which may be produced at a cost readilyjustified by the economic benefits flowing from its used.

Still another object is to devise a readily maint-ainable, wearresistant mechanism for harvesting berries as described.

In accordance With the invention as herein disclosed, a pair ofelongated multi-fingered shakers of generally cylindrical form aremounted rotationally on transversely spaced upright axes in the carriageof the harvester and engage the plants passing between them more or lessuniformly as the machine progresses along the field. Preferably, theseshakers rotate freely, that is in response to reaction of the plantgrowth against the radially projecting fingers, and while so rotating,the shakers are vibrated axially in order to impart vibration to theberry laden stems of such stroke and frequency that only the desired,ripe berries are selectively dislodged. The stroke is made adjustable inlength in accordance with the requirements of the particular crop.Preferably the shaker drive mechanism achieving this result comprises apower-driven crank shaft mounted transversely to and substantiallyintersecting relationship with the shaker axis and carrying a crankmember having a series of locating elements at respectively differentradii from the cranks shafts axis. Disengageable coupling meansinterconnects the shaker with a selected one of these locating elementsin order thereby to vary the stroke of reciprocation.

A further important feature of adjustability resides in the provision ofmeans to vary the reciprocation frequency of the shakers independentlyof the stroke. While other devices are available to drive the shaker atvariable frequency, the preferred mechanism comprises a hydraulic motordrivingly connected to the crank shaft and controlled as to speed bysimple valving arrangements permitting varying at will the rate of flowof hydraulic fluid through the motor passages.

Still another feature of the invention resides in providing shakerfingers the projection of which differs along the length of the shaker,so as to accommodate variations in growth of the plants as a function ofheight above ground level and generally in order to achieve optimumeffectiveness at dislodging berries at the desired degree of ripenessfrom all parts of the plants. As a related feature, the shakers comprisehollow tubes having a plurality of apertures therein each with a clampretentively holding a shaker finger. Such fingers extending through theaperture. These clamps are individually operable to release andre-engage the fingers, thereby to permit adjustment of the radialprojection of the fingers in any desired manner.

Other features and objects relate to the overlapping rotative diskcollector aprons and details thereof by which berries shaken from thevines are interrupted and directed to conveyor apparatus.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome more fully evident from the following description thereof byreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a front end elevation view and FIGURE 2 is a side elevationview of the machine, with parts broken away for clarity of illustration.FIGURE 3 is a top view thereof, while FIGURE 4 is a sectional view takenon line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of a shaker rotor and the principal elements bywhich it is supported and driven.

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the shaker rotor shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of a pair of shakers each having fingerswhich are of a different length as a function of position along thelength of the shaker.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail of a shaker showing a meansto mount a shaker finger thereon so as to permit adjustment of itsprojecting length.

FIGURE 9 is a face view of the fragmentary portion of shaker shown inFIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged detail side view partially in section showing ashaker drive mechanism as seen transversely to the power shaft thereof.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged detail side view taken at right angles to theview in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken on line 1212 in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged detail view taken on a transverse planeslightly tilted from the vertical (so as to see the disk edgewise) whichplane passes through a portion of one side of the machine in order toillustrate one of the rotary disks and its supporting means, comprisingcomponents of the catch apron mechanisms along each side of the machine.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken on line 14-44 in FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 15 is a sectional view taken on line 1515 in FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 16 is a side view showing a succession of catch apron disks onone side of the machine.

FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the multiplepan conveyor mechanism taken at a location near the upper, forwardsprocket on one side of the machine and illustrating the means by whichpans are emptied of berries.

FIGURE 18 is a side view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIGURE17, with parts broken away.

FIGURE 19 is a sectional detail taken on line 19-19 in FIGURE 18.

FIGURE 20 is a diagram of the hydraulic system and controls for themachine.

In its illustrated form the harvester machine comprises the overarchingcarriage frame 10 which defines a longitudinally extending space 12through which the berry bushes pass during movement of the carriage inthe harvesting operation. Power driven front wheels 14 and steerablerear wheels 16 are spaced apart, as are the frame sides to which theyare mounted, by a suitable distance gauged to the intervals between rowsof berry plants. An operators seat 18, steering wheel 20 and auxiliarycontrols 22 are mounted atop frame 10 at the forward end for maximumvisibility of the oncoming row of plants P ahead of the machine. Ingeneral the operating parts of the harvester, that is the parts whichoperate upon the plants to dislodge the berries and which then gatherthe dislodged berries for appropriate conveyance to packing stations onthe harvester, are mounted within the tunnel 12 and will be described indetail hereinafter.

Although the details of the carriage structure may vary widely withdesign preference, a brief description of that illustrated may be inorder. A longitudinal box beam 10a at the top of the frame structureinterconnects the front and rear frame arches 10b and 100 and thesomewhat wider intermediate frame arches 10d and 190. In addition tovarious secondary structures interconnecting the main frame arches, theintermediate arches 10d and 1% are interconnected at their lower ends bythe longitudinals 10f. Arch 10c is connected to arch 106 bylongitudinals 10g and appropriate transverse beams 10h. Similarly frontarch 10b is connected to the intermediate arch 10:! by longitudinals 10iand transverse members 101'. Appropriate bracing members and other frameparts which support operating components and personnel will be referredto later herein or will appear from an examination of the drawings. Suchdetails constitute no essential part of the invention as such and aretherefore not illustrated or described in specific terms.

Springing of the rear wheels 16 is accomplished by mounting them on theaft ends of arms 26 pivoted at 28 on aligned horizontal pivots so as topermit the arms to bear upwardly against the leaf spring assembly 30suitably shackled to the frame members 10g and to the arms. Such rearwheels are mounted to turn on the vertical shafts 32 under control ofthe hydraulic actuators 34 interconnecting wheel hub assembly lever arms32a and supporting brackets 36 so as to permit turning these wheelswithout interference with or from their springing action. In like mannerthe front wheels 14 are mounted on pivoted arms 33 which react upwardlyagainst the respective spring assemblies 40. The front wheels areindependently driven by hydraulic motors 42 carried by the respectivesupporting arms 33 as shown.

Power to drive the carriage and associated systems is de ived from theinternal combustion engine 44 mounted on frame members 46 at one side ofthe carriage, such engine having an output shaft 48 which drives one ormore hydraulic pumps, such as the pumps 50 and 52, through a system ofbelts and pulleys as shown at 54. The hydraulic medium is used foractivating various units in the harvester because of its convenience forpower transmission and for ease and reliability of control.

Suitable side platforms 56 at opposite sides of the intermediate sectionof the carriage are placed at an elevation which permits inspectors tostand there in order to cull and clean berries moving aft on thedischarged conveyor runs 58 (to be described) to the packing stations 60at which, on either side of the machine, receiving containers or boxes Bare placed to catch the berries. Workers platforms 62 are also providedadjacent the packing stations to handle the boxes as they are filled.

It will be recognized that a machine of the described type will befairly high above ground at its highest point if designed to harvestberries of many common varieties, because some of these grow to heightsof 6 or 8 feet. The tunnel space through the machine must accommodatethese bushes without injury to the bushes and without interference withor from the bushes, posts or other physical objects in the operation ofthe machine.

At the forward end of the machine deflector guards 66 at each side ofthe carriage are designed with forward lower extremities 66a placed lowto the ground, and slope upwardly and aft therefrom so as to pick up anystraggling vines which lie close to the ground and direct them upwardlyand inwardly into general proximity to the central grouping of plants Pin the row where they will pass between the shaker units. As the machineadvances along the row of plants the plants passing these deflectorsfirst encounter the forwardmost disks 68 of a multi-disk catch aprondevice to be described. While thus engaged between these catch apronsthe plants pass between the multifingered shaker devices 70 stationed onrespectively opposite sides of the machine. Berries dropping from theplants fall into the catch apron assembly and are directed thereby ontoconveyor mechanism for subsequent disposal in the machine. In a generalway, these multi-disk aprons may be regarded as a moving closure whichshapes itself to the composite contour presented by the successiveclumps of plants, posts and other obstacles at a level near the groundor at least below the level at which berries will grow, to the end thatno sizable open spaces will remain through which berries could drop andbe lost. At the same time these spring-urged disks rolling against theplants at opposite sides tend to compact them to a degree for passageinto the space between the shakers 70.

The two shakers 70 are of similar construction, each comprising anelongated upright tubular member which in the example is formed in twoparts, 70a and 70b, separated slightly to accommodate between them theend of supporting arm 72 (FIGURE 6). This arm cooperates with the upperarm 74 to support the shaker guide shaft 76. Both arms are mounted on asleeve 78 which is free to revolve on pivots 80 defining a vertical axisabout which the shaker swings. Arms 72 and 74 are urged toward a normallimiting position directed transversely to the direction of carriagetravel (FIGURE 4) by springs 81, but are permitted to swing outwardly inorder to allow any separation of the shakers necessary to accommodatethe plants, posts, etc.

Tubular member 70a has concave end plates 70c apertured to pass thesupporting shaft 76 which extends through a fitting 72a in the end ofarm 72 and passes through apertures in the end plates 70d of lowertubular member 7%. The shaft 76 extends upwardly through a suitablefitting in the end of arm 74 and is free to rotate on its longitudinalaxis in the respective arms so as to permit the tubular members torotate. A helical spring 82 encircling shaft 76 rests on arm 72 andreacts upwardly against a collar 84 pinned to the shaft at the lowerside of the end plate 700 within tubular member 70a. The spring 82supports the weight of the rotary assembly comprising the shaft, thetubular members and the elements carried thereby or associatedtherewith. This spring is designed to cooperate with the vibrationaldrive mechanism 86 in reciprocating the shaker assembly up and downalong the axis of shaft 7 6.

Tubular members 70a and 70b carry a large number of radially projectingrod-like fingers 88 distributed along the length and about the peripheryof the tubular members. These shaker fingers penetrate the foliage andbranches of the berry plants in the manner depicted so as to become moreor less interlocked with the vegetation during advance of the machinealong the plant row P. During such advance the reaction of the plants onthe shaker fingers 88 causes the freely pivoted shakers to rotate at anangular velocity related to the speed of the machine. Rapid vibration ofthe shakers vertically is transmitted to the plants by these fingers inorder to dislodge the ripe berries.

In FIGURE 6 the shaker fingers 88 are shown all of the same projectinglength, whereas in FIGURE 7 the fingers near the upper ends of thetubular members 70:: project outwardly by a greater distance thanfingers at lower levels on the tubular members. The shape and othercharacteristics of the plants being processed influence choice ofcontour of the shakers as defined by variations in tip locations oftheir fingers in order to achieve complete picking of the berries. Forexample, in order to vibrate the tops of bushes to the same extent thesides are vibrated the fingers may have to be longer near the top of theshakers than in the mid regions, as seen in FIGURE 7. The purpose in anycase is to insure essentially uniform penetration and engagement of theshaker fingers with the plant vegetation to the extent necessary inorder to vibrate all berry-bearing parts of the plants sufficiently todislodge the ripe berries without in some regions damaging the plants ordislodging unripe berries due to overvibration.

As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 the elongated shaker fingers 88 are ofrod-like form and project through apertures in the wall of tubularmember 70a or 70b. Within each wall aperture is mounted a clamp unit 90to hold the finger releasably in a given radially projecting position.Such a clamp unit may comprise the tubular sleeve 92 threaded exteriorlyto receive the retainer nuts 94 bearing against opposite sides of thetubular wall to hold the sleeve in position. A split (or malleable) ring96 encircles the finger 88 and bears in a conical recess in the outerend of the threaded sleeve 92. A clamp nut 98 serving as a keeper forthe ring 96 and when tightened on the end of the threaded sleevecompresses the split ring 96 and thereby clamps it firmly against finger88 to hold the finger against sliding lengthwise. When the clamp nut 98is loosened, the finger 88 may he slid lengthwise in order to vary itsprojecting length exteriorly of the tubular member 70a. Inasmuch as thetubular members are of relatively large diameter, they will accommodatethe inner ends of the fingers 88 when it is desired to shorten their proecting length.

Referring to FIGURES 6, 10, 11 and 12, the vibration drive mechanism 86for each shaker assembly is mounted on the upper supporting arm 74 andcomprises a hydraulic motor 100 which is connected to turn a crank shaft102 having a crank head 104 on the end thereof. This crank head has aT-shaped slot 106 extending transversely across the face thereof toaccommodate a similarly shaped slider 108. A bolt 110 is threaded intothe slider and extends outwardly therefrom to include a head 110engageable by a wrench for turning the bolt, an enlarged shank portion112 and an intermediate flange or stop 114. A groove 116 is milled inthe base of the slot 106 along its entire length to receive and guidethe post 118 projecting axially from the inner end of the bolt 110. Asmall tip 120 projects axially from the post 118 and serves as alocating element selectively engageable with any of different locatingholes 122 in the base of the groove 116 at intervals along the lengththereof. Depending upon the 10- cating hole 122 thus selected, thelength of crank arm on which the bolt 110 is bodily rotated about theaxis of shaft 102 is established.

Coupling of the crank bolt 110 to the shaker shaft 76 is effectedthrough a link 124. The upper end of this link is apertured to pass thebolt shank 112 and to accommodate an anti-friction bearing 126surrounding the bolt shank. The lower end of the link 124 is pinned at128 to an upward extension 76a of shaker shaft 76. As the crank shaft102 is rotated by the hydraulic motor 100 connecting shaft 76a isreciprocated up and down. Mechanical load if supported by a spring underconditions of static equilibrium. As previously stated the vibrationspeed of the shaker assembly by the action of spring 82 which tends tosupport the weight of the shaker assembly approximately in amid-position of the vibration stroke thereof, which is essentially theposition the shaker would assume if supported by a spring underconditions of static equilibrium. As previously stated the vibrationspeed of the shakers may be varied, this being accomplished by varyingthe rate at which hydraulic fluid is pumped through the motor 100. Thevalving system by which this is controlled will be described laterherein. The stroke of vibration is varied simply by unscrewing the bolt110 suificiently in the slider 108 to retract the bolt tip 120 from itslocating hole 122, whereupon the slider is moved along the slot 106 intoregistry with a different hole 122 corresponding to the desired throw orradius arm of the crank, whereupon the bolt is threaded back intoposition advancing the tip 120 into the newly chosen hole and tightlylocking the parts together.

For example, in harvesting Santiam blackberries it was found that drumvibration ranging from one-fourth inch to three eighths inch amplitudeand from 850 cycles per minute to 1500 cycles per minute would beadequate to cover the range of harvesting conditions likely to beencountered. Under average harvesting conditions of weather, time of dayand growth characteristics of these plants a vibration amplitude ofapproximately three-eighths inch or less is optimum at a frequency of1000 cycles per minute. In the case of Marion blackberries the vibrationam plitude range should be about the same as with the Santiams, but thefrequency range should be somewhat lower, i.e. between 800 and 1200cycles per minute, with 900 cycles per minute being about optimum underaverage harvesting conditions at a vibration amplitude of one fourthinch or slightly higher. Red raspberries (Willamette) require slightlyhigher vibration amplitude (threeeighths inch to one-half inch) at afrequency ranging between 900 and 1200 cycles per minute. Again, underaverage harvesting conditions an amplitude of three-eighths inch orslightly higher at a frequency of about 100G cycles per minute is aboutoptimum. It will be recognized, however, that there are certain definiteharvesting conditions which affect the determination of optimumamplitude and frequency in particular cases, that the relationships aretoo complex to be readily defined, and that experience of the operatoris presently the best guide for proper setting of the amplitude andfrequency controls.

In order to catch all of the berries dislodged from the plant by theshakers and direct them onto suitable conveyors such as conveyors 130having runs or stretches extending along opposite sides of the carriagenear the bottom thereof, catch aprons are provided, including the twoseries of successively overlapping disks 132 bearing in rolling contactinwardly against opposite sides of the plants. These two rows offree-turning disks 132 provide an outwardly and downwardly slopingreceiving surface upon which the berries drop. Berries rolling off thesedisks due to their slope fall upon the sloping plates 134 underlying andextending outwardly from the respective rows of disks to the conveyors.As illustrated in FIGURES 13, 14, and 16 each disk 132 is rotativelymounted by a journal pin 142 on a post 140 standing up from the outerend of a cantilever support arm 135. Support arms 136 are telescopinglyreceived in respective cantilevered guide tubes 138. Posts 140 elevatethe disks suiiiciently above the level of the lower (receiving) runs ofconveyors 130 to permit the receiving plates 134 underlying the disks tohave suflicient slope for the berries to roll outwardly to theconveyors. Guide tubes 138 are mounted by plates 144 bolted to the framemembers 10 Helical springs 1- .6 received within the guide tubes 138 aresocketed in an enlargement bore 1360 within the arms 136. These springsencircle guide shafts 148 slidably engaged in counterbores 135b foundaxially within the arms 136.

Arms 136 and the associated interiors of guide tube 138 are of square orrectangular cross-section (FIGURE 14) so that there is no tendency forrelative rotation between the arm 136 and the rigidly mounted guidetube. However, the guide tube 136 is sloped inwardly and upwardly acrossthe width of the machine and is also turned on its axis so that itsupper face is sloped downwardly and forwardly in the direction ofcarriage travel. Thus, the post 140 is inclined laterally outwardly andforwardly, and with it the disk 132 which it supports. Thus, berries Bdropping from the vines under action of the shakers are intercepted bythe Series of disks and tend to migrate to the pockets 132a (FIGURE 16)defined by the top face of one disk and the adjacent peripheral edge ofthe overlapping disk. Being in contact with the peripheral edge theberries are progressively urged outwardly toward the catch plates 134due to the rotation of the disks. This action aids the inherent tendencyfor the berries to roll by gravity outwardly to the catch plates due tothe slope of the disks. It will also be evident that the slope of thedisks in the direction fore and aft is desirable in order to permit therow of disks to extend substantially at a horizontal plane, rather thanto stair-step upwardly along the length of the machine, notwithstandingthe finite thickness of individual disks.

Springs 146 and the slidable engaged arms, tubes and guide shaftsassociated with the individual disks permit each disk to bespring-pressed into rolling contact with the plants and to yieldoutwardly, independently of the other disks, as necessary in order toaccommodate clumps of plants, posts or other obstacles in the row. Byindependently mounting the disks in this manner the row of disks on eachside of the harvester will shape itself to the contour of the plants andother physical elements intervening between the rows of disks so as toprovide a maximum degree of closure around the base of the plants as theharvester advances. In this manner the amount of open space whichremains and through which berries could be lost is minimized. Preferablythe individual disks have foam rubber or similar soft and elasticmaterial 1321) around their peripheries. These tires or rims of softmaterial further help in closing the spaces around the base of theplants in order to avoid loss of berries and they also insure goodrolling contact of the disks with the plants without abrading orotherwise damaging the plants.

Conveyors 136 comprise an endless series of chainconnected shallow traysor pans 13(la the upper edges of which substantially abut each other inextending along the horizontal stretch or run adjacent the multi-diskapron assemblies so that berries rolling over the catch plates 134 willfall into one or another of the pans. Each individual pan is pivotallysupported pendulously on aligned pivot pins 139a projecting into bosses130!) on opposite sides of the pan. These pivot pins projecttransversely from the inner sides of the parallel conveyor chains mild.Along the lower or horizontal stretches adjacent the catch aprons, theconveyor chains are supported in guide channels 130:2 and the pans slideon the stabilizer surface 13911 to avoid their being tipped accidentallyout of level position. Similar guide channels 130 extend along the topof the machine to guide the chains at that location also. Preferably theconveyor pans move rearwardly along the lower sides and are thenelevated on the vertical run 130', with the individual pans remaininghorizontal to hold their loads during this elevation phase. When theyreach the top the pans are guided around the corner defined by the chainsprockets 130g into a horizontal run now moving forwardly of themachine. As the pans approach the transverse gravity chutes 160 they areinverted to discharge their contents upon these chutes. These gravitychutes are arranged to discharge upon the belt conveyors 58 disposedalong each side of the machine and leading rearwardly to the packingstations 60 at which the receiving containers C are positioned toreceive berries.

In order to invert and dump the pans automatically as each reaches thedischarge point overlying one of the chutes 160, a camming deflector 162is mounted in the path of the boss 13% and is so shaped as to tilt theboss and thereby the pan progressively through degrees, i.e. from theposition shown at the left in FIGURE 18 to that shown in the middle ofFIGURE 18. In the latter position the side of the boss now slides incontact with the top face of the cumming element 162 for maintaining thepan in a vertically oriented position. Secondary cumming deflectors 166in the path of the pans completely invert the pans shortly after theyhave been tilted upright (right-hand portion of FIGURE 18). The invertedpans are now in the position desired for movement around the cornersprockets 168 and downwardly on the return run for reloading.

In FIGURE 20 the hydraulic system is diagrammed schematically. Pump 52supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid for operating the steering jacks 34through manually operable steering control valve 20a. It also suppliesthe conveyor drive motors through manually operable conveyor speedcontrol valve 22a, and the shaker drive motors through manually operablespeed control valve 22b. Pump 50 supplies the carriage traction motors42 through manually operable control valve 220. The pumps 50 and 52 aresized in accordance with their respective loads and pressurerequirements. Control valves 22a, 22b and 22a are of any suitable typeby which the proportions of fluid by-passed to the reservoir 23 inrelation to that directed to and through the respective motors may bevaried as a means to vary motor speed. In this manner vibrationfrequency of the shakers may be varied to any desired value, as mayvehicle speed and conveyor speed, each independently, in order toachieve optimum operation of the machine suiting the dual requirementsof maximum production rate and thorough removal of ripe berries, withoutadverse effect on the plants.

We claim as our invention:

1. A berry harvester comprising a ground traversing carriage with aframe top and frame sides interconnected by said top in transverselyspaced relationship forming a space therein through which berry plantspass during advance of the harvester, means mounted upon the carriagewithin said space and operative upon the plants to dislodge berriestherefrom, and means mounted upon the carriage and within said space tocatch and collect such berries, comprising a plurality of generally fiatrotary disks extending generally horizontally in successive overlappingserial relationship along each of opposite sides of said space to formcatch aprons, means rotationally supporting and reciprocatively guidingsaid disks to permit independent rotation and bodily reciprocativemovement of the disks generally transversely to the direction ofcarriage movement, and force-applying means urging the individual disksof each series toward those of the other series to close in rollingcontact with the plants from opposite sides thereof, while permittingoutward yielding of such disks to accommodate variations in plantgrowth.

2. The harvester defined in claim 1, wherein the means supporting thedisks comprise a plurality of arms underlying the respective disks andextending outwardly therefrom transversely to the direction of travel ofthe carriage.

3. The harvester defined in claim 2, wherein the means supporting thedisks further comprise enlongated guide members slidably engaged by therespective arms, and spring means operatively associated with said guidemembers and reacting on the individual arms to urge the disks againstthe plants.

4. The harvester defined in claim 3, wherein each disk comprises a rigidbody portion and an elastically yieldable rim portion of such softnessas to mold itself conformably to the plants to a degree enhancing theclosure of the series of disks against the plants.

5. The harvester defined in claim 1, wherein each disk comprises a rigidbody portion and an elastically yieldable rim portion of such softnessas to mold itself conformably to the plants to a degree enhancing theclosure of a series of disks against the plants.

6. The harvester defined in claim 5, wherein the disks of each seriesslope downwardly in the direction away from the opposite series, andreceiving means positioned beneath and along the lower portions of thedisks of each series to catch berries rolling off the disks.

7. The harvester defined in claim 6, wherein the individual disks arealso sloped upwardly in the direction of travel to form pockets intowhich the berries settle for channeling to the receiving means.

8. The harvester defined in claim 1, wherein the disks of each seriesslope downwardly in the direction away from the opposite series, andreceiving means postiioned beneath and along the lower portions of thedisks of each series to catch berries rolling off the disks.

9. The harvester defined in claim 8, wherein the individual disks arealso sloped upwardly in the direction of travel to form pockets intowhich the berries settle for channeling to the receiving means.

10. A berry harvester comprising a ground traversing carriage formedwith a frame top and frame sides interconnected by said top intransversely spaced relationship forming a space therein through whichberry plants pass during advance of the harvester, means mounted uponthe carriage within said space and operative upon the plants to dislodgeberries therefrom, and means mounted upon the carriage and within saidspace to catch and collect such berries, comprising a plurality ofgenerally flat elements extending generally horizontally in successiveoverlapping serial relationship along each of opposite sides of saidspace to form catch aprons, said elements including rotational meansadapted for rolling contact Wtih the plants, means supporting andreciprocatively guiding said elements to permit independent bodilyreciprocative movement of the elements generally transversely to thedirection of carriage movement, and force-applying means urging theindividual elements of each series toward those of the other series toclose in rolling contact with the plants from opposite sides thereof,while permitting outward yielding of such elements to accommodatevariations in plant growth.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,742 12/1891 House 56-29515,031 2/1894 Turner 56-29 3,184,908 5/1965 Rust 56- 330 3,225,89412/1965 Weygandt et al. 56-330 X RUSSELL R. KINSEY, Primary Examiner.

